Author: David Nargizian

Not just weapons and connectivity, Armenia now keen to become India’s partner in space

David Nargizian
INDIA NARRATIVE
Aug 30 2023

India and Armenia continue to rapidly expand their ties with Yerevan maintaining its deep interest in not just acquiring the latest Indian military hardware but also exploring “possible joint projects” in the field of space industry post Chandrayaan-3 mission success.

On Tuesday, Armenian Security Council chief Armen Grigoryan travelled to New Delhi – his second visit to the Indian capital in last 10 months – and held discussions with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on issues related to regional security developments.

Grigoryan’s office said that both security chiefs spotlighted with satisfaction the development process of Armenian-Indian bilateral relations and discussed the prospects of developing new partnerships in a number of fields.

“Congratulations on the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission on the moon. Within the framework of the above, we discussed the implementation of possible joint projects in the field of space industry,” Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia wrote on his Facebook page after the meeting with NSA Doval.

Both top officials also met in November last year when Grigoryan travelled to New Delhi to meet NSA Doval and held talks on the “rapid implementation” of the agreements reached in the field of security between the two countries.

The meeting was also attended by the then Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Samant Kumar Goel.

The significant visits have taken place amid the military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan due to the decades-long dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Right from the beginning of the hostilities, India has maintained a consistent position with regard to the disturbances in the Caucasus region and called for a peaceful resolution of the issue through diplomatic means.

“I presented (to NSA Ajit Doval) the humanitarian crisis of Nagorno Karabakh and highlighted the importance of the international community’s involvement in overcoming it,” said Grigoryan on Tuesday.

With Turkey and Pakistan backing Azerbaijan to the hilt, Yerevan has been keen on building a strong strategic partnership with New Delhi. It all began with India supplying Armenia with four Swathi Weapon Locating Radars (WLRs) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at a cost of $40 million in 2020.

Since then, from indigenously-developed Pinaka Extended Range multi-barrel rocket launchers and laser-guided Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) to the New Generation Akash (Akash-NG) missile, the government led by Nikol Pashinyan has shown keen interest in getting latest defence equipment from India.

As reported by IndiaNarrative.com, Armenian Deputy Defence Minister Karen Brutyan visited Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and BrahMos stalls during the ‘Army 2023’ International Military-Technical Forum in Moscow earlier this month and held discussions on the defence systems being showcased.

Interestingly, Brutyan showed keen interest in all three variants of the BrahMos missile.

A high-level delegation from the South Caucasus country, led by Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan, has also visited DefExpo with an aim of expanding bilateral military and military-technical cooperation between the two countries.

The collaborative partnerships have been taking many other forms as both countries work on enhancing trade through the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) by utilization of the Chabahar port in Iran which is being developed by India.

Landlocked Armenia is a key member of the project to establish the vast pan-Eurasian transport network and has shown keen interest in the utilization of Chabahar port which India is pushing to include in the INSTC framework.

On Wednesday, Papikyan received a 17-member delegation from India’s National Defence College (NDC) which is on a three-day visit to Armenia.

Led by NDC Commandant Lieutenant General Sukriti Singh Dahiya, the delegation consists of senior military and civilian representatives from India, France, Brazil, Nigeria, Mongolia and Sri Lanka.

As part of the visit, the touring party – along with India’s Ambassador to Armenia Nilakshi Saha Sinha – has already met with Armenian Armed Forces chief Lieutenant General Edward Asryan and other high-ranking representatives at the defence ministry headquarters.

Welcoming the delegation on Wednesday, Papikyan highlighted the current course of development and prospects of Armenian-Indian cooperation in the field of defence.

 

Armenia minister, Iran envoy stress deepening friendly ties

David Nargizian
MEHR News Agency
Iran – Aug 29 2023

TEHRAN, Aug. 29 (MNA) – Zhanna Andreasyan, the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia in a meeting with the Iranian ambassador to Yerevan discussed deepening the friendly relations between Iran and Armenia.

Zhanna Andreasyan received a delegation led by newly appointed Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Sobhani, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Andreasyan reaffirmed her ministry’s readiness to continue assisting in the development and deepening of Armenian-Iranian friendly relations in education, science, culture, sports, and youth affairs.

The newly appointed Iranian ambassador, in turn, underscored the teaching of the Persian language in Armenia’s public schools as part of regional language learning.

Andreasyan, for her part, emphasized the implementation of a training program for Persian-language teachers in Armenia’s universities and schools by Iranian colleagues.

The parties discussed as well what needs to be done in higher education.

Possible cooperation in science, culture, and sports was also reflected on at the meeting.

A number of other matters of mutual interest were conferred about as well at the meeting.

MP/PR

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/205341/Armenia-minister-Iran-envoy-stress-deepening-friendly-ties

Armenian PM says depending solely on Russia for security was ‘strategic mistake’

David Nargizian
Reuters
Sept 3 2023
By Andrew Osborn
  • Armenian PM makes sharp criticism of Russia
  • Says it looks like it’s leaving the wider region
  • Accuses Russian peacekeepers of failing to do job
  • Says it was a mistake to rely only on Moscow for security

LONDON, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Armenia’s prime minister has said his country’s policy of solely relying on Russia to guarantee its security was a strategic mistake because Moscow has been unable to deliver and is in the process of winding down its role in the wider region.

In an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica published on Sunday, Nikol Pashinyan accused Russia of failing to ensure Armenia’s security in the face of what he said was aggression from neighbouring Azerbaijan over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Pashinyan suggested that Moscow, which has a defence pact with Armenia and a militray base there, did not regard his country as sufficiently pro-Russian and said he believed Russia was in the process of leaving the wider South Caucasus region.

Yerevan was therefore trying to diversify its security arrangements, he said, an apparent reference to its ties with the European Union and the United States and its attempts to forge closer ties with other countries in the region.

“Armenia’s security architecture was 99.999% linked to Russia, including when it came to the procurement of arms and ammunition,” Pashinyan told La Repubblica.

“But today we see that Russia itself is in need of weapons, arms and ammunition (for the war in Ukraine) and in this situation it’s understandable that even if it wishes so, the Russian Federation cannot meet Armenia’s security needs.

“This example should demonstrate to us that dependence on just one partner in security matters is a strategic mistake.”

His words underscore resentment inside Armenia about what many there see as a failure by Russia to defend their interests.

There was no immediate response to Pashinyan’s interview from Moscow, which has chaired talks between Yerevan and Baku in what it says is the complex search for a peace deal.

Moscow has in the past bridled at such criticism, defended its actions, and rejected the idea that it has downgraded its foreign policy priorities because of Ukraine.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but its 120,000 inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Armenians. It broke away from Baku’s control in a war in the early 1990s. Heavy fighting took place again in 2020 until Russia brokered ceasefire.

Pashinyan accused Russian peacekeepers deployed to uphold the ceasefire deal of failing to do their job.

Reporting by Andrew Osborn Editing by Angus MacSwan

Student from NK kidnapped by Azeri border guards while traveling to Armenia with Russian peacekeepers – UPDATED

David Nargizian

 14:24,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, ARMENPRESS. A 22-year-old student from Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) has been kidnapped by Azeri border guards in the illegal checkpoint in Lachin Corridor while traveling to Armenia with a Russian peacekeeping escort, the Artsakh InfoCenter said. 

The official Artsakh InfoCenter identified the kidnapping victim as Alen N. Sargsyan (born 2001). He was traveling to Armenia to continue his education in Yerevan.

The motive behind the kidnapping is unclear.

“Azerbaijan continues its genocidal policy against the people of Artsakh, once again violating the norms of international humanitarian law. Details on the incident will be reported later,” the Artsakh InfoCenter said in a statement.

This is the second kidnapping incident of civilians by the Azeri border guards in their illegal checkpoint in Lachin Corridor. 

On July 29, an elderly patient was kidnapped during his medical evacuation facilitated by the ICRC.

Tigran Petrosyan, the Head of the Anti-Crisis Council under the Artsakh Presidency, said that another student is now detained in interrogation.

“An hour ago, the Azerbaijanis seized a 22-year-old student from the Russians in the checkpoint. And now one was taken away and another one is being interrogated,” Petrosyan said.

He called on residents of Nagorno-Karabakh to gather in the Stepanakert plaza for a demonstration. “This is no time for silence. If we remain silent, they will come and take us all.”

Meanwhile, Azeri news media reported that three Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh were arrested on Monday at the illegal Azerbaijani checkpoint in Lachin Corridor.

This is a developing story. 

Update shows comments by Tigran Petrosyan and the Azeri media report.




Asbarez: Australia Supports ICJ Ruling Calling for Lachin Opening

David Nargizian
by Contributor

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, International, Latest, News, Top Stories

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs has voiced its support for the International Court of Justice ruling ordering Azerbaijan to “ensure unimpeded movement” along then Lachin Corridor, as the blockade of Artsakh moves into its ninth month creating an acute humanitarian organization, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia.

The Armenian National Committee of Australia welcomed this statement, calling it “a welcome shift” in department’s narrative, which had until now preferred statements urging “both sides to de-escalate tensions and to ensure freedom and security along the corridor”. 

“We support the provisional measures order issued by the International Court of Justice on 22 February 2023, which was reaffirmed by the Court on 6 July 2023. The Court ordered Azerbaijan to ‘take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions,’” said Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in a letter sent to the Australian-Armenian community.

The ANC-AU welcomed the statement from DFAT on behalf of Senator Wong, and now expects the Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to publicly echo this in all possible settings. 

Australia now joins the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Parliament and many other nations, and prominent non-governmental organisations in supporting the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures. 

“For the second time now, an Australian Government has recognized Azerbaijan’s belligerent actions, first in November 2022 acknowledging Azerbaijan as the responsible party for a specific series of crimes against Armenian prisoners of war and the desecration of Armenian cultural and religious sites, and now as the instigator of an illegal blockade in violation of international law,” said ANC-AU Executive Director, Michael Kolokossian.

“We look forward to this positive shift in Australia’s position being echoed in all bilateral and multilateral international channels by both Prime Minister Albanese and Foreign Affairs Minister Wong until the genocidal blockade is lifted.”

More than 2,000 Armenian-Australians signed an Australian Parliamentary petition over the past month, calling for the Federal Government’s support to end Artsakh’s blockade, which was presented to the House of Representatives who passed it on to Foreign Minister Wong before the release of the above letters.

“The Armenian National Committee of Australia extends its warm gratitude to all community members who passionately advocated in support of Artsakh, the Australian civil society organisations who wrote to the Foreign Minister, and state and federal parliamentarians who have signed the Statement of Support for the people of Artsakh calling on this important shift in Canberra’s policy. Through our collective and united efforts, we have secured this victory,” Kolokossian added.

India Shows Caucasus Diplomacy Isn’t Just For Russia And Turkey Anymore By Michael Rubin

David Nargizian
1945
Aug 21 2023

After the fall of the Soviet Union, the Caucasus became a playground for Russian, Turkish, and Iranian intrigue. Russia sought to regain the influence it enjoyed when Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia were Soviet republics. Turkey embraced Azerbaijan as an extension of itself under the mantra of “one nation, two states.” Iranian nationalists considered influence over the entire region as a birthright, since they had controlled it centuries earlier. Decisions about war or peace in the region often originated less in Yerevan, Baku, or Tbilisi, and more in Moscow, Ankara, and Tehran.

Over the past five years, each Caucasian country has flipped its geopolitical orientation, and now India senses opportunity. As it solidifies ties with Yerevan, New Delhi is set to become a new diplomatic heavyweight in the region.

Consider how much the Caucasus region has changed. In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev, a former local KGB chief and Moscow-based politburo member, embraced the West. At that time, just 18 months before Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rise, the United States and Europe saw Turkey as an ally and accepted at face value that Azerbaijan would be secular and Western-oriented. Under Aliyev’s son Ilham, however, Azerbaijan is erratic. Baku is willing to work fist-in-glove with Islamist terrorists and to pivot closer to Russia, for whom it is now a money-laundering lifeline.

Iran’s regional role is similar. For Armenia, Iran is less an ally of choice than one of necessity, a lifeline through which to export goods impossible to ship elsewhere because of Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades. For Azerbaijan, the opposite is true. Behind its recent antagonistic rhetoric toward Tehran, Azerbaijan helps Iran evade sanctions for the right price. 

Perhaps no country has changed as much as Armenia. Armenians are frustrated with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, but they show no desire to return to the Russia-dominated status quo that prevailed before the large-scale protests of 2018. Georgia and Armenia have traded places. Georgia is backsliding into Russia’s orbit while Armenia breaks away.

The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War confirmed this reorientation. Armenians turned on Russia for the failure of its peacekeepers to enforce the ceasefire. Armenians will never forgive the fact that, as Azerbaijan starves 120,000 Christians in Nagorno-Karabakh, Russian forces stand less than 50 meters from an illegal Azerbaijani checkpoint that blocks relief supplies. America, meanwhile, confuses statements with substance and disqualifies itself with bothsiderism against the backdrop of genocide.

Enter India, the world’s most populous country. Whereas India once focused its diplomatic efforts regionally or into the Non-Aligned Movement, today it is a diplomatic heavyweight farther afield.  

In 2019, Pashinyan met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Both promised greater ties, and they meant it. Pashinyan declared Armenia would side unequivocally with India on the Kashmir question. Law is on India’s side, but diplomatically Pakistan has no one to blame but itself. Out of religious animus and a desire to ingratiate itself to Turkey and Azerbaijan, Pakistan refuses even to recognize Armenia’s existence. India, meanwhile, accepts the nuances and complexities of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

As Armenia untangles its legacy military ties to Russia, India fills the gap. In March 2020, Yerevan signed a $40 million deal with India for four SWATHI radars to track incoming artillery, mortars, and rockets and pinpoint their launch sites. In June 2022, India agreed to sell Armenia drones. The U.S. should celebrate such purchases as Armenia bypasses Iran. 

Negotiations meanwhile continue for Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, Nag anti-tank missiles, and anti-tank guided missiles. Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan also visited his Indian counterpart Shri Rajnath Singh on the sidelines of India’s DefExpo 2022. 

The relationship is symbiotic, and extends beyond the military realm. Armenia provides India with a commercial hub from which India can ship goods through Georgia west to Europe or into Russia, and then eastward into Central Asia. Access to that region had been interrupted by the Taliban’s conquest of Afghanistan. Both countries have become IT powerhouses, and Armenia’s investment in its pharmaceutical sector increasingly interests India’s investors. 

A common lamentation among democrats in the region is why the United States is effectively absent. Washington makes excuses, and remains absent when it counts. India’s presence now provides a new option for the region, one that Washington should encourage. A choice between Russia, Turkey, and Iran is akin to choosing between a heart attack, stroke, or cancer. India provides an antidote to dictatorship, rentierism, and extremism. The Caucasus are in flux. India could be the ally its democrats need.

Now a 19FortyFive Contributing Editor, Dr. Michael Rubin is a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Dr. Rubin is the author, coauthor, and coeditor of several books exploring diplomacy, Iranian history, Arab culture, Kurdish studies, and Shi’ite politics, including “Seven Pillars: What Really Causes Instability in the Middle East?” (AEI Press, 2019); “Kurdistan Rising” (AEI Press, 2016); “Dancing with the Devil: The Perils of Engaging Rogue Regimes” (Encounter Books, 2014); and “Eternal Iran: Continuity and Chaos” (Palgrave, 2005).

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2023/08/india-shows-caucasus-diplomacy-isnt-just-for-russia-and-turkey-anymore/



U.S. Ambassador to Armenia visits Jermuk

David Nargizian

 15:44,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien traveled to Jermuk to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing the city, the U.S. Embassy in Armenia said in a statement Friday.

“Ambassador Kvien traveled to Jermuk to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing the city. She met with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Jermuk, and hosted a roundtable with business owners to discuss the local economy and tourism sector. Ambassador Kvien was impressed with the beautiful natural landscape and outdoor activities that make Jermuk a popular tourist destination,” the U.S. embassy said.

 




Padilla, Menendez Urge UN Security Council Resolution to End Blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh

David Nargizian
Aug 15 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, urging her to introduce a UN resolution calling for an immediate end to Azerbaijan’s eight-month blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, including allowing unfettered humanitarian access to Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

As the government of Azerbaijan threatens to ethnically cleanse the people of Nagorno-Karabakh through starvation and actively deprive them of fuel necessary for emergency response efforts and other essential goods, the Senators are calling on the United Nations to act immediately according to the mandate in its Charter.

“For eight months Azerbaijan has gradually tightened a blockade meant to deprive Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh access to essential goods, including food and medicine. On June 15, Azerbaijan effectively shut down the delivery of all critical humanitarian assistance, leading to severe consequences for the tens of thousands of people living there including children, the elderly, and other residents with illnesses and disabilities,” wrote the Senators.

“In your capacity as the President of the UN Security Council for August 2023, we ask that you work with all UNSC members to pressure the Azerbaijani government to lift the blockade and prevent what the evidence suggests is a coordinated effort to ethnically cleanse the people of Nagorno-Karabakh,” continued the Senators.

Senator Padilla has previously denounced Azerbaijan’s inhumane blockade of the Lachin Corridor, a vital lifeline that connects the Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) with Armenia. Padilla recently introduced a bipartisan Senate resolution alongside Senators Menendez and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), condemning the government of Azerbaijan for its blockade of the Lachin Corridor and urging the United States to take immediate steps to end the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield,

We write to urge you to take a strong stance at today’s UN Security Council’s emergency meeting on the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh to address the humanitarian crisis.

For eight months Azerbaijan has gradually tightened a blockade meant to deprive Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh access to essential goods, including food and medicine. On June 15, Azerbaijan effectively shut down the delivery of all critical humanitarian assistance, leading to severe consequences for the tens of thousands of people living there including children, the elderly, and other residents with illnesses and disabilities. In an affront to international humanitarian law and basic human dignity, almost a month ago, Azerbaijan began denying access for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the last remaining humanitarian group able to deliver life-saving relief to vulnerable populations. The ICRC reported last month that “fruits, vegetables, and bread are increasingly scarce and costly,” while “other food items such as dairy products, sunflower oil, cereal, fish, and chicken are unavailable,” noting also that “people lack life-saving medicine and essentials like hygiene and baby formula.” Today we know that the situation has worsened further, with journalists posting photos of empty grocery stores and reporting that ambulances no longer have fuel.

Azerbaijan’s actions are nothing short of an attempt of ethnic cleansing of the Armenian community that has lived there for centuries. Indeed, earlier this month, former Prosecutor General of the International Criminal Court Luis Moreno Ocampo issued a report stating that there is “a reasonable basis to believe that a genocide is being committed.”

We are encouraged that the United States supported the call for convening the meeting. In your capacity as the President of the UN Security Council for August 2023, we ask that you work with all UNSC members to pressure the Azerbaijani government to lift the blockade and prevent what the evidence suggests is a coordinated effort to ethnically cleanse the people of Nagorno Karabakh. Specifically, we urge you to introduce a resolution calling for an immediate end of the blockade and unfettered humanitarian access to the region.

Thank you for your consideration of this urgent request.

https://www.padilla.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/padilla-menendez-urge-un-security-council-resolution-to-end-blockade-of-nagorno-karabakh/

EU says ‘no Armenian military buildup’ on Azerbaijan border

David Nargizian
Aug 15 2023
 

ByAni Avetisyan
The EU monitoring mission in Armenia. Image via Twitter.

The European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) has denied Azerbaijani claims of an Armenian military buildup on their border.

EUMA’s statement came after Baku accused Yerevan and Stepanakert of ramping up their military presence along their borders with Azerbaijan, as well as of building of Armenian military infrastructure within Nagorno-Karabakh.

EUMA is a civilian monitoring mission deployed on the Armenian side of the Armenia–Azerbaijan border.

‘In recent days, there has been a large concentration of weapons, military equipment and personnel along the state border in order to carry out another military adventure’, Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry claimed.

On Monday, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry dismissed Azerbaijan’s statements as ‘fake’ and accused it of attempting to drive attention away from its blockade of the Lachin Corridor.

‘It is also evident that one of the objectives of Azerbaijan’s disinformation campaign is to divert the international community’s attention from the escalating humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is intensifying day by day, and from its steps to implement ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh through provoking a humanitarian catastrophe’, read the statement.

While Nagorno-Karabakh has been under Azerbaijani blockade since December, the humanitarian crisis in the region deepened further in mid-June when Azerbaijan barred the Russian peacekeeping forces stationed in Nagorno-Karabakh from using the Lachin Corridor to supply the region.

Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan have also been growing, with the two countries continuously accusing each other of ceasefire violations.

Upon Armenia’s request, the UN Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting for Wedesday to discuss the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan has criticised Armenia’s appeal to the Security Council, accusing it of ‘deliberately and intentionally [obstructing] all the efforts made through international partners to find a balanced, law-based, and reasonable solution on the ground’.

In an Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry statement, Baku argued that ‘what Armenia cynically seeks’ from the UN Security Council was within reach had it and Stepanakert agreed to supplying Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijani-held territory in Aghdam in late July.

Last week, former International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Ocampo has called on the Security Council to adopt a resolution on the situation in the blockaded region to allow the tribunal to investigate Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for genocidal intentions.

[Read more: Former ICC prosecutor accuses Azerbaijan of ‘genocide’ in Nagorno-Karabakh]

However, despite international condemnation, Azerbaijan continues to deny that Nagorno-Karabakh is under blockade, and maintains that the region is not facing a humanitarian crisis.

 For ease of reading, we choose not to use qualifiers such as ‘de facto’, ‘unrecognised’, or ‘partially recognised’ when discussing institutions or political positions within Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia. This does not imply a position on their status.


Armenian-Lebanese Composer Premieres Moving Solo Violin Piece: ‘Thoughts of an Underprivileged’

David Nargizian
Aug 15 2023

Manouk Roussyalian’s composition bridges cultural divides through music

I wanted the piece to serve as a tribute to human resilience and honor the unheard stories of the underprivileged around the world.”

— Manouk Roussyalian

BERLIN, GERMANY, /EINPresswire.com/ — Armenian-Lebanese composer Manouk Roussyalian, who carved a niche for himself in the film music industry despite his humble beginnings, recently premiered his first concert music piece in Budapest, a poignant solo violin composition entitled “Thoughts of an Underprivileged.”

“Thoughts of an Underprivileged” vividly embodies the struggles endured by individuals lacking the opportunities and privileges others often take for granted. Drawing from his personal experiences of growing up in underprivileged circumstances and facing restrictions on artistic _expression_, Roussyalian has crafted a piece that is both deeply personal and universally relatable.

“I wanted the piece to serve as a tribute to human resilience,” he said, “and honor the unheard stories of the underprivileged around the world.”

The historical trauma of the Armenian Genocide and his upbringing in war-torn Lebanon, which found a renewed resonance in 2020 with the catastrophic explosion in Beirut that almost took the life of his father and destroyed his shop, greatly influenced the composition. This series of unfortunate events further exemplifies the ongoing struggles faced by the Lebanese people.

The piece is also inspired by Roussyalian’s personal experience in Lebanon where he faced surveillance, investigation, and confiscation of his work due to performing rock music, which was not allowed in the country. These experiences of being underprivileged and lacking the freedom to freely express his art have shaped his creative journey.

Featuring Csongor Veer’s profound interpretation on the violin and under the skillful guidance of conductor Geoffrey Pope, a live recording of the moving Budapest performance is available for viewing on YouTube. Additionally, “Thoughts of an Underprivileged” can be streamed on all major platforms, enabling audiences worldwide to experience Roussyalian’s musical narrative.

Roussyalian is set to release two more compositions throughout 2023, allowing his unique narrative to continue unfolding, echoing the depth of his personal experiences and the richness of his cultural heritage. For more information, visit his website at manouk-roussyalian.com.

About Manouk Roussyalian:
Manouk Roussyalian is an Armenian-Lebanese film composer based between Los Angeles and Berlin. With a unique blend of personal experiences and cultural heritage, his music speaks volumes about the universal human condition. Living through the historical trauma of the Armenian Genocide and the turmoil of war-torn Lebanon, Roussyalian uses his music to shine a light on significant social issues, bridging cultural divides through the power of music. Manouk initiated his musical journey by composing music for local artists, performing, and contributing significantly to the region’s musical landscape with the production of one of its few metal albums. Over recent years, Manouk has shifted his focus to European television and cinema. His work can be heard globally, spanning multiple media including films and documentaries.

Dennis Bailey
Savvy, Inc.
[email protected]

“Thoughts of an Underprivileged” Premiers in Budapest